MICE

[AprilWC]

We had good luck with bucket mouse traps - no risk for pets or wildlife to access poison or poisoned mice.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

I have dogs and kids so I use "bait stations" that I found at tractor supply. They work great for keeping everyone, but the mice away from the poison.
View attachment 3289918

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...MIx7-6hqrd-gIVbhCtBh03QAhKEAQYBCABEgKdefD_BwE

I use these under the coop. My chickens found a dead mouse and started eating it. One that I saw. not sure if they found others but I haven’t seen traces of more than one. Will it hurt them? Are their eggs ok to eat?

 

[Al Gerhart]

Stop feeding the mice and they will leave.

I like to copy and past an old post from Howard E. who has done probably the most research on BYC on dealing with rats and at the bottom my short version of his info. These are the essentials to deal with a rodent problem.


Here is Howard E.'s past post:


"To the OP (and others like them), if you will spend the time, everything you need to know about rats and how to get rid of them will be found in the links below......

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-control-the-video-series.1337456/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-control-101.1283827/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/rat-proof-feeder-review.1180514/#post-18610285






This last one is a review of a rat proof chicken feeder built and sold by a BYC member, who is a staunch advocate for the plan of getting rid of rats by starving them out. Remove all sources of feed and they will be forced to move on or starve to death. If you are firmly against the use of poison bait blocks......for whatever reason.......then this is one of the best actions you can take. Bulk food in metal trash cans.....chicken feed in metal rat proof feeders. Can't get to the feed and birds do not spill and waste feed that the rats can survive on."


And the short version of Howard's post? Sanitation, exclusion, elimination.


Sanitation, bulk feed in metal cans or barrels with tight fitting lids, a treadle feeder, clean up the avenues of movement so the rodents have no cover to protect them from their natural predators. In my opinion and experience this is the quickest, surest, and cheapest way to solve a rodent problem.


Exclusion, plugging the holes and building a Fort Knox chicken coop and not leaving an opening for free range. Tough to do and expensive but it could work for rats.


Elimination, poison and traps. Problem is that rats are smart and will quickly learn to avoid both traps and poison bait. Were you to clean them out, the lack of sanitation would mean a new population of rodents would move right in. And there is risk and no end to the process, keeping fresh bait out. However, if you have done your sanitation using poison becomes effective as the rats are starving and will likely try the poison bait. Not needed though, they will leave in a few days as long as you are not feeding the rodents with a compost pile or other animal feed. Not all will leave, your area will have a natural carrying capacity for rodents, natural feed, but that natural ability to sustain rodents is quite small and the natural predators keep them in check and under cover as the rodents hustle to find this natural food.


Do a forum search on "rats chickens" and you will find most of the old wives tales exposed and read of long epic battles against the rodents. Sanitation, exclusion, or elimination all have associated costs but you are already paying for the feed and will recover the initial costs quickly with the first method.

 

[Jada22]

if they can’t access food they will leave.
My cats keep rodent problems to a minimum. I did have a mouse get in to my chickens recently and they ate it…
Important to keep in mind if you use poison and the dog or chickens eat a mouse/rat that’s died from poisoning the chicken or dog will also be affected by that poison.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Spoiler

The electric and sticky traps have worked pretty good for me.

Ok so i saw one mouse in my yard and some holes in the ground im hoping i dont get them because of the chickens but what do you guys recommend? Please help

I am currently fighting a mice issue
It started in my garage and they found a way to get in the house between the main floor and basement ceiling
Luckily it’s a drop tile kind and I can set traps up there
I have tried many types anc have found the sticky ones are kicking butt
However they did not die and suffer terribly. I am checking my traps ever few hours and if I do have one caught I have a bucket with water I am drowning them to end the suffering
I really don’t like mice but it’s not in my nature to be cruel
I myself can’t use poison as I don’t need dead decaying critters in my ceiling and I have ducks, cats , dogs abc grandkids I can’t chance getting ahold of one that’s eaten poison
In 4 days I have caught 28
So far today was the first day of no mice in the traps in garage
I haven’t got to check the basement ceiling yet so could be some there
I bait my sticky straps with a little peanut butter
I found the nest in the garage and even found newborn babies in the nest
The nest was in behind my sons summer car tires so not visible till I started to pull things out

 

[Al Gerhart]

Those sticky traps work well for juvinile mice, the older one get smart and avoid them. Peanut butter bating them though, genius...

I had some mice in my office at the shop and set stick traps. A week later I come in one morning and find four small mice and one small copperhead snake stuck on the trap.

Get rid of mice for no other reason than they draw in predators of all kinds!

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Those sticky traps work well for juvinile mice, the older one get smart and avoid them. Peanut butter bating them though, genius...

I had some mice in my office at the shop and set stick traps. A week later I come in one morning and find four small mice and one small copperhead snake stuck on the trap.

Get rid of mice for no other reason than they draw in predators of all kinds!

Im
Catching the adults and little ones
Must be the peanut butter
I have to use the larger ones though
The smaller ones they get away
I had one caught with just its tail
Was running all over with it
I got him but would rather they are not moving the traps
A few nights ago one was stuck and still eating the peanut butter when I checked

 

[garye5007]

I, personally, wont use poison... I love the owls that spend a lot of time at my place. I would hate to think they would get a poisoned mouse and get sick or probably die from it. so I,m a trap guy.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

I want to add
After catching 28 mice we have been free for 3 .5 days
The cats have settled and aren’t going crazy sniffing all over
No sightings of them and nothing on traps. No sounds of them running around
I will leave my traps set up for 30 days to be sure but very impressed with Tom cats sticky pads with some peanut butter added in the middle
Again they don’t die and need to be dealt with. I used a bucket of water and drown them
Just set the pad in the water Took about 30 seconds and it was over